She’s Here!
February 5th, 2004Introducing the most beautiful baby in the history of babies (in perhaps the most unflattering photo of a newborn ever):
Leta Elise Armstrong
7lbs. 10 oz.
20 inches long
born 3:59 a.m., 02/03/04
A better picture is up at dooce, but I look at this one and weep instantly. She’s right there, getting weighed and breathing and moving; healthy and life affirming. She’s also sucking on her arm, which we soon discovered was covered in blisters caused by _in utero_ sucking. Her other arm has three blisters as well.
I already had weepish tendencies, now it’s full blown. I can’t tell if it’s the profound experience of her birth or the lack of sleep. I will see her wiggle her long toes and tear up. Either way, she’s here and every time she grabs one of my fingers and tries to stick it in her mouth, I lose it. In the hospital, I had fallen asleep weeping and rolled over. The tears that had pooled ran down the side of my face and woke me up.
Childbirth is primal, beautiful and terrifying all at once. And I wasn’t the one doing the pushing. I tried to push (and keep my breath in so that my diaphragm would help push the baby out) so that Heather would know that I was helping, but was told, with a stern glare that translated through the oxygen mask that I couldn’t pass out. I stopped the breath holding and just counted and watched the strongest woman alive give birth to the sweetest, most amazing girl. They are both doing better than I could have ever hoped.
We are a family. Now we just have to re-integrate Chuck into the house. He’s staying with Grandma and getting all kinds of Grandma snacks and treats and we’ll probably have to send him to Doggy Phat Camp for Teen Male Neutered Dogs.
Non-sequitur below:
I’ve never been happier in my life. Thank you all for your kind wishes. o
Wow, isn’t she a cutie
Congratulations to you and Heather!
A little late, but Congrats to all of you! She’s just the cutest!
I’ve been a reader of the Blurdoo/Doolurb’s for a paltry four months now. But I am so pleased and happy for you both, on the successful wood floor refinishing and reproductive ass kicking. Best in show, for sure. She’s blue ribbon quality, and Top Model.
In one of Dooce’s entries, she wrote about being worried about the state of the world (Paraphrasing and recalling from memory here, so I might be really off) and bringing a child into it. But your darling super trooper will surely make it a better place, thanks in no small part to two headstrong, creative and bake-show awesome parents. Your family is ace, congratulations again.
So excited for you guys! Have been keeping up with both sites for a while and anxiouslyawaiting the big day! Congrats to the three (Chuck) of you! I look forward to Leta’s adventures.
Wahoo! I’m pleased for you, you two, no three — wait, four. It’s an adventure unlike any other.
Please tell Dooce that if she can stick it out through the initial torture (and torture it was for a good two weeks, in my experience) the breastfeeding can become one of the more amazing and rewarding experiences of life. Really. Phenomenal.
Oh, and, pooping will probably never be the same. Sorry. But it’s a price worth paying.
Did you ever think an Armstrong child would turn out so regular? And by regular, I mean “super pooper,” not meaning in any way normal or mediocre. She is the cutest little frog, and I have to say that a tear came to my eye when I saw her little feet poking out of her blanket on Dooce’s site.
Mazeltov Pappy!
I love that her birthday is 2/3/4!
Unfortuantely, I took the same picture of my daughter born 9/9/99. My problem is I took it from the other side. I am still trying to explain.
i want one!
comment number 161! yay! I can’t believe it’s being almost a year. funny how time flies when there are so many thing to look foward to.
i found out about your wife’s blog from readymade magazine, in an article about blogging, and have been hooked ever since on reading both. through hers i found yours
congratulations. she’s adorable.
Leta’s dad is crazy. A good crazy.
Congratulations. We need heartwrenchingly cute pictures of Chuck and Leta as they get to know one another.
Mazal tov!
Just want to add even more congratulations
You and Heather are going to be amazing parents, Jon. Leta is a lucky, lucky little girl. (oh, to be a treat for Chuck!
)
Seriously, much luck and love, (and another weepy cyber-auntie over here in England).
just stumbled upon this site from Moolies. I am expecting our first baby in March and have 4 weeks to go until b-day!! Good luck and congrats to you three from a little known town in England called Salisbury xxxx
Becs
Congrats!
I started reading your wife’s site a couple of years ago and I have been reading ever since. It was a beautiful journey throughout the pages where she’d write about her pregnancy and now the baby’s finally here. Just you wait till she’s a teenager!!
I have been wanting to say congrats although I didn’t know if it would be a good idea emailing you guys so I decided to post here instead. Congratulations again, from the Great White North in a city called Calgary.
Life changes forever now. Welcome to this side. Congrats and may you three - and Chuck - be ever surprised by and filled with affection and trust for each other.